Ready, Set, Hut One ...

Newcomers Learn To Tackle In League Set To Kick Off Saturday

Like many of his fellow players in the Western Communities Football League, Lorenzo Waguespack's reason for signing up to play tackle football for the first time is pretty simple.

"I wanted to step onto the football field and just hit somebody to the ground," said Waguespack, 10, of Wellington, who will play for the Prep Lions. "I'm able to tackle somebody in a real league, instead of just playing with my friends in the back yard."

The WCFL season officially kicks off Saturday with the first week of league games at Village Park in Wellington. League president Eddie Guerreri said more than 800 children ages 7-14 signed up to play this year, and were assigned to 41 different teams based on age and weight.

All league games and practices are at Village Park, and games are played every Saturday through Oct. 28, with the exception of Labor Day weekend.

Of the 800 or so players, Guerreri estimates there are between 300-350 athletes who will strap up the pads for their first time.

Chase Castano, a left guard for the JV Dolphins, said he enjoyed tackling after his team's first scrimmage last week.

"I've never played tackle before, only flag, so being able to really hit somebody was awesome," said Castano of Lake Worth. "It's different, having all the pads on. I'm used to just playing with a little flag around your waist."

Most of the first-time players have similar reasons for signing up to play. Either they joined because they saw their friends having fun, or their older brothers play, or because they just want to hit somebody and not get in trouble for it. Of course, none of them are scared or nervous about getting hit.

"You have guys that are scared to death, and our job is to make them comfortable enough to know they're not going to get hurt with the pads on," he said. "And then you've got some guys that just have some brute strength and don't know what to do yet."

One player who won't be scared is Tara Watry, 9, who Guerreri said is the only girl in the league this year.

Mike Pignato, coach of the JV Chiefs, said Tara will play defensive tackle and be "held to the same expectations as her teammates."

"Tara will be expected to participate in every drill and play as any other player would be," Pignato said. "And I promised [her parents] that I would not tolerate any ridicule from any of the boys on our team."

Jeff Dever, who now coaches the Prep Lions but has coached youth football for about 20 years, said it is rare when a child can strap on the pads for the first time and instantly become a star running back or linebacker. They usually don't know proper tackling and blocking technique, or how to hold the football properly, so he puts them on the offensive or defensive line.

But Dever said they practice just as hard as the star quarterback or linebacker -- or even harder, to catch up to the skill level of the veteran players.

"Some of them, especially the new ones, might be a little lazier 'cause they don't know what to expect," Dever said. "We let them know they're going to work harder than anything else they've ever done."

And for Dever, like most coaches in the league, the goals are to teach discipline, help the kids improve and win a few games -- in that order of importance.

"We want them to have a good football experience and prepare them for the next level," Dever said. "The goal is to win, but at the end of the day does it really matter?"

Ben Volin can be reached at ben@volins.com.

WCFL SCHEDULE

Games are played at the Wellington Village Park, 11700 Pierson Road. From the Turnpike, exit at Lake Worth Road and go west to State Road 7. Go north to Pierson Road. Go west for a few miles. Park will be on your left.